Boot or shoe



HOlVARD T. MARSHALL, OF BROCKTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

BOOT OR SHOE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N01 298,599, dated May 13,1884.

Application filed June 17, 1882. (No model.)

To aZ-Z whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HOWARD T. MARsHALL, of Brockton, in the county ofPlymouth and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Boots or Shoes, of which the following is a full,clear, and exact description.

This invention consists of a boot or shoe having an opening in its vampor upper, which is arranged to be connected by a lacing cord or cords inthe usual manner of laced boots, and has an independent elastic goringor gorings, so that the boot or shoe can be adjusted to fit the foot ofthe wearer by the lacing cord or cords, and when so adjusted by theelastic goring or gorings it can be put on and taken off withoutnecessarily changing the adjust ment of the lacing cord or cords, allsubstan tial] y as hereinafter fully described.

In the accompanying plate of drawings this invention is illustrated inconnection with a gaiter-boot having an elasting goring, Figure 1 beinga side view of a gaiter-boot. Fig. 2 is cross-section on line 3 3, Fig.1.

In the drawings, A represents the upper or vamp of'a boot, which has anelastic gorepiece, a, inserted on each side, as shown, all as usual ingaiter-boots. The boot has a slitted opening, 4, in the upper or vamp A,which opening runs along a portionof the length, including the instepportion of the vamp or upper, and each side of the slitted opening thevamp has a series of eyeleted holes, 9, which are arranged along thelength of such opening and receive a lacing-cord, h, passing from sideto side of and across the slit, and thus lacing together its two sides.

7; is a tonguepiece of leather inside of the boot and covering theslitted opening. This tongue is secured at either one or both of itsends or its sides to the inside of its upper in the usual manner ofattaching tongues to laced boots. The slitted opening (I, with thelacingcord h, allows the boot to be loosened or tightmay be desired,about the foot of the wearer after it has been put' on, and thus to beadjusted and rendered the more comfortable and easy and'made the betterto fit the foot of the wearer, and when so adjusted, because of theotherwise ordinary formation of the elastic goring on the gaiter-boot,the boot, as is plain, can be put on and taken off without change of theadjustment of the lacing cord, whatever such adjustment may be. Theinside tongue shields and guards the foot of the wearer against thelacing-cord.

Two lacing-cords may be used as well as one, and in lieu of the holes toreceive the lacing cord or cords hooks or studs may be substituted, aswell known. Again, the invention herein described is applicable to shoesas well as boots.

I do not claim, broadly, a boot having lac- I by a lacing cord or cordsfor adjusting the boot to fit the instep and around the ankle of thewearer, and having an elastic goring or gorings, and formed, allsubstantially as set forth, so that the boot can be adjusted to the footand taken off and put on without disturbing the fastenings.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

HOVARD T. MARSHALL.

Witnesses:

EDWIN W. BROWN, WM. S. Bnmows.

